Legislative

Colorado SB23-213 Housing Bill

The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce is supporting the passage of Colorado SB23-213.  The bill establishes a state and local government framework for assessing statewide housing needs and creating model codes for the regulation of higher density housing options, transit-oriented areas, key corridors, manufactured housing, and other model housing strategies. Local governments would be required to conduct a housing needs assessment and are prohibited from enforcing certain occupancy limits...

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Importance of a CIVIC Conversation

Last year, your Chamber started a civic engagement program designed to expand our shared understanding of issues important to the business community.  This ongoing program, dubbed CIVIC Conversations, is presented in person on the fourth Monday of each month.  Each session is held in an informal setting at which participants are introduced to a topic of interest, presented with an objective analysis of business implications, and encouraged to share their own perspectives and expertise.

We i...

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Bi-Partisan Vote Kills HB23-1118, Fair Workweek Employment Standards

Last Thursday, the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee voted 8-2 to postpone indefinitely HB23-1118, which would have created litigation traps for employers, and created scheduling requirements, fines, and minimum weekly pay for workers in certain industries. Legislators cited the “hundreds” of emails they received, nearly all of them urging a “no” vote. Your business community came together and advocated a a single voice.  Hearing testimony from affected businesses and employee...

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Making Your Vote Count

Welcome to fall Chamber members!  The arrival of cooler temperatures, a bit of snow and clear blue skies reminds all of us that it is election season.  We are releasing our SmartBrief a day early to remind each and every one of you to VOTE!  Your individual voice is incredibly important to the success of our community.

I am incredibly proud of the thoughtful review and consideration that our staff, our Local Legislative Affairs Committee, our Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance and ...

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Local Minimum Wage: Business Voice Needed Tonight

Last week I shared with our members the possibility that this City Council will pass before the end of the year a local minimum wage of $19/hour by 2026 with escalations of 5-15% each year until we hit $19 and regular updates after.  I encourage the business community to review that blog and to activate your voice with community decision makers.  As I speak with business owners of all sizes, the common refrain is that you are unable to find the talent you need (even though you are already inc...

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2022 State of Business Event

The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce presents the second annual State of Business event from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on June 29, 2022 at The Biergarten at Anheuser-Busch.

This signature event was established to showcase the current status of business in Fort Collins and the surrounding area. Topics will include reigniting the economy, economic trends, the value of  jobs and workforce and more. The event will also feature how your Chamber is working for business at the state and local levels.

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Under the Dome: An NCLA Debrief on Key Issues Affecting NoCo Business

An NCLA Debrief on Key Issues Affecting NoCo Business

In an ever-evolving political landscape, the 2022 Legislative Session finally ended on May 11.  After three years of policy turmoil for Colorado’s business sector, the session offered a mixed bag of policy outcomes on the key issues affecting businesses in Northern Colorado.

In important areas, namely environment and labor policy matters, the policy decisions emerging from the 2022 legislative session will contribute to a further ero...

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Moratoriums and Mandates

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks here at the Chamber.  I’ve been invited to join several conversations related to moratoriums and mandates and wanted to share a few perspectives with our membership.

What is a mandate and how do we feel about that here at the Chamber? Our good friend Merriam-Webster (the dictionary folks) defines mandate as “to officially require (something): make (something) mandatory.”  Separately, a moratorium is defined as “a waiting period set by an au...

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Advocacy Support for Business

The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce has long been a business advocate, attending every City Council meeting, standing up on key issues and sharing a pragmatic view point. We make sure you have a seat at the table and a well-versed voice in the conversations that matter most is important.

We are excited that our first Advocacy Newsletter landed in members email boxes yesterday with the intention to keep you updated on issues impacting business, ways to contact your elected officials and ...

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Time to Pause and Reflect

It’s wonderful to have an occasional rainy day in the middle of summer.  As someone who grew up on the eastern plains of Colorado, I always appreciate moisture coming from the sky!  Rainy days inspire me to pause and reflect, even in the hustle of everyday demands.  Below is a catch-all of today’s observations.

Hats off to Chamber member and long-time volunteer Carrie Gillis! Carrie is the Real Estate Manager for a grouping of businesses here in northern Colorado and was inducted int...

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